Highly advanced techno from a modern visionary

Sam Barker has quietly become a provocative, singular voice in the techno scene. Closely linked to iconic Berlin institution Berghain, Barker’s Leisure System events have championed experimental sounds beyond the confines of dancefloor conventions, while his own productions have skirted between established norms to create genuinely original music. In collaboration with ND_Baumecker he produced two albums and a run of EPs for Ostgut Ton, while in 2019 he delivered his debut solo release, the widely acclaimed Utility. Dealing in driving, rhythmic melodic tones without reliance on percussion, it was a bold step forward for an artist committed to keeping things interesting, and this same spirit will be channeled when he takes over the Studio X Floor for a live set.

Also on the line-up for this exciting late-December event is Kukangendai, an experimental band most recently spotted on Stephen O’Malley’s Ideologic Organ label. Their live set should follow the form of their recorded music – intricate minimalist patterns falling in elegant formations for a spellbinding end result. With a range of other live and DJ talent spread across all three spaces in Contact, this promises to be a night of fascinating, diverse new musical horizons.